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Contemplative Classrooms For Ecological Wisdom: Reimagining K-12 Education In Pakistan, China, And Beyond, Maha Shoaib, Jing Lin, Yueyue Wang

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This paper explores the transformative potential of contemplative environmental education in addressing the growing disconnection between humans and the natural world, particularly within K-12 education systems shaped by anthropocentric and capitalist paradigms. Modern schooling often frames nature as an object of study, rather than a sacred, living presence, contributing to ecological alienation amid intensifying environmental crises. We propose a radical shift toward contemplative, holistic education that draws on spiritual, Indigenous, and ecological knowledge systems. Grounded in Daoist philosophy, Islamic teachings on stewardship, Hindu ethics, and Indigenous worldviews, we reimagine education as a relational and sacred engagement with the Earth. We …

Reimagining Masculinities Through Australian Indigenous Pedagogies, Ben Campbell, Anna Rumjahn

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In the face of intersecting ecological crises and persistent gender inequality, this paper explores how dominant norms of masculinity—marked by control, detachment, conquest, and other ideals rooted in Western, hegemonic paradigms—contribute to environmental degradation. Drawing on ecofeminist theory, Australian Indigenous pedagogies, and contemplative education, we examine how relational, place-based approaches may offer transformative alternatives for boys in schooling contexts. Central to this inquiry is the Learning from Country framework, which positions land as teacher and emphasizes practices of deep listening, reciprocity, and ethical engagement with the more-than-human world.

We argue that this pedagogical approach challenges dominant masculinities by fostering care …

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Journeys Of Two Children From West To East: Notes Of A Teacher-Parent, Katherine E. Khan Dr

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This essay, explores the transformative educational journeys of two children across five countries, viewed through the dual lens of a teacher and parent. Grounded in the principles of Contemplative Education (CE), it draws on over two decades of the author’s experience in global education, weaving personal and professional insights into a narrative that examines how context, culture, and pedagogy intersect in shaping young learners.

The journey begins in the inquiry-rich, nature-based kindergartens of Germany and the nurturing early primary years of the United Kingdom, moves through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary and Middle Years Programmes, and Big Picture education in …

Wisdom And Contemplative Effort In Ikeda Daisaku's Philosophy Of Human Education, Jason Goulah, Riya Kartha

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

This article introduces and examines Japanese philosopher Ikeda Daisaku's (1928–2023) perspectives on wisdom and contemplative effort, what Ikeda calls “human revolution,” at the heart of his practice of “human education.” Using bilingual and critical discourse analyses of the Ikeda corpus, the authors summarize Ikeda’s philosophy of human education, highlighting the role of human revolution as a contemplative practice in the cultivation of wisdom. Thereafter they outline the multiple ways Ikeda articulates wisdom in his philosophy, analyzing the various Sino-Japanese character compounds used to convey the concept and the respective meaning of each. As the original language reflects a depth and …

Teachers As Wisdom Workers Of Love: A Radical Reconceptualization Of Teacher Education Centering Wholeness, Compassion, And Interbeing In A Fractured World, Yueyue Wang, Jing Lin, Maha Shoaib, Anna Lytkina

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Amid global crises and rising teacher burnout, current teacher education often prioritizes technical skills and standardized competencies while neglecting the inner life, relational presence, and spiritual vitality essential for sustaining educators. This article reconceptualizes teacher preparation by envisioning teachers as “wisdom workers of love” -- healers, guides, and community nurturers grounded in wholeness, compassion, and interbeing. Drawing from Daoism, Ubuntu, contemplative pedagogy, and Indigenous epistemologies, this study employs collaborative autoethnography as contemplative inquiry, weaving narratives from educators in China, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States. Through mutual witnessing and collective reflection, we identify five interrelated dimensions for cultivating love-based education: …

A Remembrance Ritual In The Classroom--Death, Middle School, And Contemplative Education, Kari Van Gelder

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Death is generally unspoken, ignored, and considered too difficult to bring forward into our classrooms. Bringing death to my contemplative pedagogy has been essential for me as a teacher and on behalf of my middle school students. The deepest and most reverential way that we do this in my classroom is through an annual remembrance ritual. On this day, we remember people and pets in our lives who have died. We do inner work through journaling and meditation. The heart of our ritual day involves naming, sharing stories, and deep listening. This reflective essay tells the story of developing this …

Reimagining Teacher-Student Relationships In Schools: What Does Mencius Say?, Ruo-Han Wang, Charles Scott

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

In some K-12 educational settings, it is often assumed that teachers are the ones who deliver and guide, while students are the ones who are delivered and guided. As a result, both in common perception and practical operations, teachers typically hold more power than students, acting as both the possessors and executers of authority. While this inherent power imbalance in traditional schools is understandable, it can create fundamental situations that remain unresolved, representing an ontological problem in education . These fundamental issues have persisted in causing trauma in educational settings (Frieze, 2015), and the need for healing for both students …

Beyond Coping In High School: An Emergent Mindfulness Practice Towards Embodied Wisdom, Mel A.V. Voulgaris

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

Mindfulness practice is trending in schools. Within secondary education, it is oftentimes introduced as meditation for present-moment awareness of the self to support academic concerns. However, mindfulness practice in its original conception is a holistic way of cultivating human well-being towards flourishing. It is a practice that aims for awareness to the entirety of human subjective and intersubjective experiencing as it is emerging. In doing so, mindfulness evolves from a coping tool into a rich contemplative practice. This paper will make the case that mindulness as a contemplative practice facilitates the cultivation of embodied wisdom and that such a practice …

Kedudukan Hukum Ekonomi Dalam Struktur Ilmu Hukum, D. Sidik Suraputra

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

The Cornshocker Contract: Navigating Nil In A New Athletic Economy, Jason Kight

The COSMA Journal

This teaching case examines how Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) reforms are reshaping governance, athlete branding, and competitive identity within NCAA Division II athletics. Set at the fictional Platte Valley State University, the narrative places students inside an evolving administrative dilemma involving booster-led collectives, transfer-portal pressures, and a sponsorship controversy that tests institutional values. Designed for sport management classrooms, the case emphasizes experiential decision-making and asks students to evaluate the interaction among stakeholder interests, organizational legitimacy, and crisis response rather than to perform exclusively doctrinal legal analysis. By situating contemporary NIL developments within a regional Division II context, the case …

How Individual Differences Affect Children’S Learning From Gesture​, Esha Thakker

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Gestures are hand movements that accompany speech and convey information. Although research shows gestures support learning, not all children benefit equally. This study examines how individual differences, such as prior knowledge, verbal working memory, fluid intelligence, and children’s tendency to view movement as meaningful, influence learning from gesture-based instruction. First-grade students participated in tasks to assess these characteristics and received instruction on linear measurement, a foundational early math skill that challenges many children in the United States. By exploring how cognitive profiles interact with instructional contexts, this research aims to inform more effective teaching strategies.

Femininity And Dateability: A Look At The Perception Of Asian Faces, Grace Yang

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Over the last decade, Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States (Lam, 2016), and the visibility of Asian influence on popular culture has increased as well (Jin & Yoon, 2017).  As a fast-growing minority community, the Asian community has been relatively overlooked in studies about attraction and the effects of ideals of masculinity. The aim of the current study was to investigate factors that influence the perception of the Asian and non-Asian faces with respect to attractiveness, dateability and masculinity.  The current literature suggests that both Asian men and women are stereotyped to be relatively …

International Human Rights Protection Before The International Criminal Court, Mary Abigail Chapin, Dr. Meredieth Deboom

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

The International Criminal Court (ICC) formally came into force on July 1, 2002, becoming the only treaty-based permanent court to prosecute perpetrators of the most severe crimes. The court was founded primarily to prosecute perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity (CAH), and war crimes (with the addition of crimes of aggression in the summer of 2018) no matter the public stature of the individual accused. This was a major step by the international community in the global fight against impunity. In no case was this more clearly shown than in the court’s issuing of arrest warrants for the then sitting …

The Role Of Paraprofessionals In The Mental Health Structure Of India, Amy Abraham, Kimberly D. Becker, Wendy Chu

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

The mental health treatment gap in India is part of a growing public health crisis, with over 95% of those in need of services never receiving them. Over 197 million Indians suffer from at least one diagnosable mental health disorder, and this number continues to grow given the treatment gap. The treatment gap is a result of four major factors: lack of government support, stigma, limited treatment facilities, and dearth of professionals able to provide treatment. The current study aimed to analyze several factors of paraprofessional-led mental health interventions including setting, treatments delivered, treatment models, and client outcomes. A narrative …

Moving America: A Study Examining The Relationships Between Early Residential Mobility, Anxiety And Academic Performance, Kelsey Thomas, Wendy Chu, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Early residential mobility has known negative effects on mental health outcomes and academic achievement. These effects have been studied broadly and globally, yet there lacks attention in examining early residential mobility to specific localities, regions, or states. As such, this study sought to investigate these associations, specifically its impact on anxiety and academic performance in adults residing or living in South Carolina. Participants were surveyed online regarding their demographic information, academic performance, and anxiety levels. Results found no significant relationships between early residential mobility, anxiety, and academic performance among adults residing or living in South Carolina. Despite these null findings, …

Examining Biobehavioral Indicators Of Adhd In Children With Fxs, Hannah Pressler, Kayla Smith, Ramsey Coyle, Elizabeth Will, Jane E. Roberts

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity behaviors that are inconsistent with developmental age. Children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder, are often diagnosed with comorbid ADHD (53–59% of males with FXS). Despite the prevalence of ADHD in FXS, little is known about the early manifestation of ADHD. The current project aims to explore group differences in play behaviors between children with FXS and typically developing (TD) children as well as the relationship between infant play behavior and heart activity to future ADHD attention outcomes. Participants included male children with FXS and …

Predator Or Prey: The Analysis Of Gender And Race On The Perception Of Black Men As Sexual Assault Victims, Jordyn Livingston, Dr. Florencia Cornet

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Men sexual assault victims have gained more attention in recent years. Despite the growing sociological literature on violence against men, previous research provides little acknowledgment of Black men sexual assault victims. In this manuscript, I analyze emerging literature in the socio-medical sciences to explore how gender and race affects the perceptions of Black men as sexual assault victims. Specifically, I utilize intersectionality as a theoretical framework to synthesize literature on blackness and masculinity in sexual assault victims to conclude that there is an intersectional point that disadvantages Black males, portraying them as sexual predators. In so doing, I provide research …

The Impact Of Weekly Workouts On Self-Reported Happiness Among College Students, Reid Davis, Melanie Palomares

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

College students are consistently at risk for depressive behaviors during a major time of habit transition (i.e., a time of gaining autonomy while developing their own lifestyle and health habits) and gaining in independence; this is met with only half of them not engaging in at least moderately vigorous exercise (Catellier 2013; Powell, 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of types of exercise (cardio, weightlifting, and yoga/pilates) that undergraduate college students voluntarily engaged in on their subjective current and general happiness levels. There were 52 participants in the study, all undergraduates at the University of …

The Universe Under A Microscope, Claire Chabot

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Changes In Medical Knowledge And Patent Medicine, Anna Mcnamee

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper examines advertisements for patent medicines and nostrums, from the Colonial Period to the Food and Drug Act of 1906.  The Pure Food and Drug Act represented the triumph of the medical profession over state legislation and unsupervised patent medicine manufacturing. Tracing these advertisements alongside the historiography of science, medicine, and advertising; this paper argues that advertisements for patent medicine represent a shift in the culture of healing and the growth of medical knowledge in the United States. By the end of the nineteenth century, science and medicine made great advances and medical professionals began influencing both state and …

Evaluating The Role Of Stress, Self-Perceptions Of Health, And Self-Efficacy On Physical Activity Over Time: Results From Project Drive, Ashlynn Riley, Allison Sweeney, Dawn K. Wilson

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Most Americans are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity. In underserved communities, these inequities are even greater, with African American women being less likely to engage in physical activity and being at greater risk for chronic disease relative to non-minority women. This study seeks to further understand the factors that support or undermine engagement in physical activity among African American women. Specifically, the present study evaluates the impact of stress, self-perceptions of health, and self-efficacy on physical activity engagement in a 10-week physical activity intervention program for African American women. Participants (N = 33) completed measures of …

Doubt And Deception: Public Opinion Of The Warren Report, Will Fox

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Sedentary Behaviors And Measured Physical Activity In College Student Populations, Vanessa Grout, Elizabeth A. Easley, Sarah H. Sellhorst, William F. Riner

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Victimization Of Heterosexual Males: A Literature Review On Domestic Violence, Chris Friendly, Christine Palmer Mph, Edd, Ches

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Domestic violence, defined as both emotional and physical abuse in intimate relationships, is a pressing issue in today’s society. Because of its serious nature, domestic violence has become a topic of great interest and concern for many public health researchers. However, an overwhelming degree of the studies conducted by these investigators only examine the effects of domestic violence on the female population. In this literature review, 27 sources, both peer-reviewed articles and literature reviews, were previewed. Of the 27 sources, only four were specific to male victimization. This literature review highlights the research disparity between female and male domestic violence …

The Jewish Athena: The Political Genesis Of The State Of Israel, Julius Sykes, Roger Deal

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Discovering The Southern Appalachian Grassy Balds, Nicholas Lenze

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Grassy balds are unique Appalachian wonders, open meadows in the mountains where, ecologically, there should be trees. It has been hypothesized that some of the balds originated more than ten thousand years ago and were kept open by the grazing of large herbivores such as the mastodon and the wooly mammoth. Over the course of earth’s history, environmental and anthropogenic factors have shaped, modified and maintained the balds. Up to one hundred grassy balds were once recognized to exist in the southern Appalachians, but fewer exist today due to forest succession (Gersmehl, 1970). Collectively, the grassy balds share a common …

The Effects Of Government Policies On The Stock Market, Samruddhi Somani, Dr. Holger Kern

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

What is the most effective government policy to boost stock returns and, subsequently, to foster economic growth, especially during an economic crisis? This paper examines the effects of various government actions on stock market performance during the global financial crisis of 2007. As expected from rational investors, nearly all of the variation in index levels is explained by the variation in index futures levels, which reflect market expectations. Index and future levels were collected for June 2007-December 2009 using Bloomberg, which tracks data for various financial instruments. The financial crisis timeline furnished by the New York Federal Reserve Board on …

"Pee Wee" Gaskins And The Subjectivity Of History, Henry Capps

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

A Review Of Video Game Effects And Uses, David Corso

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

Video games are versatile in their form and function. Whether they’re training doctors or offsetting Alzheimer’s disease, video games can exercise both mental and physical features, train specific skills for a number of jobs, educate players about events and phenomenon in our world, research and understand natural human processes, and they can be designed for a number of other purposes. Multiple studies have demonstrated the effects of video games on physiological and cognitive levels—positive, negative, and everything in between. This paper identifies various physical and psychological effects that video games produce, and it suggests ways in which video games can …